It's that time of year. Often we consider the start of a new year, a new beginning. We get to begin again. We are trying to get healthy, get organized, exercise more, eat less . . . the list is endless, right? I agree that a new start is always a good idea. We should be trying to better ourselves in lots of ways.
I have one dear “sister friend” who often says the comforting words, “God knows.” She doesn’t know these two words are a treasure to me. I don’t tell her, but I remember the specific times she has said them to me when her words were a gift.
Words are powerful. Words can ignite or extinguish a relationship. Words can generate war or inspire peace. Words bring tears of emotion. But words can also make us laugh until our sides ache. A teacher’s words can establish everlasting motivation in the life and soul of a student. Mighty prayers uttered in every language on earth can bring revival. The lyrics of beautiful songs bring healing and joy. The precious gift of salvation resonates through the sweet and simple words of Jesus Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. (John 3:16, John 14:6, Romans 10:9)
Life’s difficult circumstances can turn peace into panic. Our survival may depend on living through complicated medical treatments, making difficult decisions about our children, struggling with financial hardships, providing care for a loved one, coping with unhealthy habits, or confronting generational family dysfunction. But “hopeless” situations are the perfect ground for God to show us His glory, as he did for Moses and the Israelites.
A small rock sits on my kitchen window sill as a reminder of a recent summer day. I attended a prayer gathering on our downtown square.
A song touched my heart today. Rich lyrics tell the story of a motley crew of misfits who have accepted an invitation to come and share—to “come to the table.”
“God did this” begs the question from Paul’s debaters: God did what? God made the world and everything in it; God is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything; God determined the times set for (every man)and the exact places where they should live (Acts 17:24-26). God did this all for you, “Men of Athens!”(17:22). Pay attention to what I (Paul) am about to say next. And all ears pricked up for Paul’s so that!
Rules. Rules. Rules. Who wants rules?! But rules really aren’t all bad. Think of Henry Ford when he invented the Model T in 1908. Once he had his first car up and running he had to figure out how to keep it running, how to repair it when it broke down, how to manufacture more of these classics. In other words, he needed rules.
’Tis true ladies, He who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. Not only did He speak the heavens and the earth and the creatures into being, and lovingly mold man from the dust of the earth (Genesis 1-2). Our God sustains all He made, as surely as the world spins. He did not create and walk away from the grandeur. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). If this were the kingdom-of-me, I can only imagine what things would be like.
It is as Eugene Peterson says in the introduction to his Message translation: “Ours is not a neat and tidy world in which we are assured that we can get everything under our control…there is mystery everywhere.” Truth is though, we don’t need to be caught in the spin of uncertainty when we know the God who made the world and everything in it.
If one were to attach a descriptor to 2020, it could easily be: spinning out of control! I am reminded of the title to the 1961 musical made famous by Anthony Newley: Stop the World, I want to Get Off. 2020—exactly! Ever wonder who was in control through the months of uncertainty? The experts wavered—how was the virus transmitted? are surfaces contaminated? how close is close? do we need to wear masks? how long to quarantine? And we still don’t really have answers.
Have I mentioned that I can’t read long passages without my eyes glazing over?
In fact, many times my eyes have glazed right over on just this one verse.
For instance, did you know that our struggle isn’t against people?
The Barna Group recently released a new report: Reviving Evangelism, which revealed that almost half of American Christians between the ages of 23 and 38 think it’s wrong to share their faith.
As I dropped my youngest son off at baseball practice, the rain pelted down. And the wind blew tree branches into the roadway.
I’ve spent the last several weeks reading and re-reading my favorite passages in Paul’s letter to the Roman believers. I wanted those profound truths to sink into my heart and mind—salvation, redemption, Holy Spirit empowerment, intercession and sovereignty. Paul’s Hymn of Praise perfectly captured how I felt about all I had read.
I still remember my concern when I realized my little Granny would one day not be around to pray for me. She’d stood as a spiritual rock my entire life. As she aged, I began to dread the inevitable loss. Then, a doctor’s diagnosis and a brief illness brought me to the place I feared.
The word “If” is a tiny word with big meaning. In my Bible, it’s near the top of a passage dubbed “The Believer’s Triumph.” Paul used it when he posed what seemed to be a rhetorical question. Paul just explained the amazing gift of salvation God offered through the sacrifice of His Son. He also taught about the role of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives. He then concluded, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rather than a question, Paul actually stated a fact! God isfor us, and He proved it by sending His Son and His Holy Spirit.
My daughter witnessed a rare moment—a cow returning to the herd with her newborn calf. The expectant mother had wandered off the evening before to give birth privately in the scrub brush. As dawn broke, the pair stood alone under a tree. The yearlings wandered up first. They circled the calf in curious amazement. Even though the mother tried to stay between them and her baby, she was outnumbered. Each simply wanted a sniff and appeared to say, “Welcome to the herd!” When the rest of the cows arrived, the calf was apparently overwhelmed with joy. It left its mother and eagerly greeted each cow one-by-one. It seemed to ask, “Will you be my friend?”
